


What If?

by mashed_potato_with_cheese



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Battle of Hogwarts, F/M, Fluff and Angst, One Shot, Redeemed Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:33:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26859022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mashed_potato_with_cheese/pseuds/mashed_potato_with_cheese
Summary: What if someone gave Draco a reason to stay?Battle of Hogwarts one shot
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 65





	What If?

**Author's Note:**

> This is from Draco's POV!

The school is in ruins. My home, the place where I grew up, where I met her, the only one who truly loves me. It's destroyed. 

And it's my fault. 

Students and Professors of Hogwarts gather in the courtyard, their bodies bruised and bloody, faces worn and tired yet somehow undefeated. I look frantically around, trying to delay the worst. She can't be dead. I saw her not 10 minutes ago. Where is she?

My attention is momentarily captured by the Dark Lord and his army. Voldemort raises his arms, smiling a wicked, evil smile.

"Harry Potter is dead!" he calls loudly. Ginny Weasley, the girl who survived the Chamber of Secrets, lets out a painfully distraught scream and lunges forward as her father tries to restrain her. She loves him, I suppose. She loves the boy who puts her in danger, as missing girl loves me. Voldemort laughs, a scratchy, horrible sound, and continues.

"Stupid girl. Harry Potter is dead. Come, bow before me, or die." His plan has been executed. He can and will kill anyone who disagrees with him. I had a hand in this plan. I destroyed the place and the people that I care about because I was too cowardly to do anything else. Harry Potter, our supposed savior, lies dead in Hagrid's arms. He was a boy, a child, like all of us. In that moment, I realize that we are exactly the same. Two young boys forced to play a deadly game of soldiers, manipulated by those meant to protect us. He's dead because he stood up to it, he refused to give in. I can't say the same for myself.

My father and mother step forward, beckoning me. My mother's face is regretful. She didn't want this. My father, however, did. As he hisses my name, calling me forward, anger flares inside me, momentarily drowning my fear. The man who calls himself my father put both me and his wife in danger, for what? To gain the power that always somehow evades him? To gain respect, money, to prove himself? He is no braver than I am. 

But I can't stand up to the Dark Lord's army. They watch me, expectant. I must live up to my father, lead the next generation into slavery for a cause we don't agree with. My feet feel like lead as I try to force them forward. All eyes are on me, the people I grew up with staring at me sadly. They know I'm not strong enough to resist this. They know I'll give in, they expect it. And they're right. 

I take a step forward, hating myself. Then another. I break through the crowd of students, looking over the rubble-filled courtyard in front of me. Voldemort stretches out his hand.

"Come, dear boy. Join us." His voice is smooth, snake-like. I take another step. And then I am stopped by the voice I want to hear most.

"Draco!" she calls, pushing through the crowd. "Draco, don't!" She reaches me and pulls me to her in a hug, her arms flung around my neck. I bury my face in her shoulder, taking in how perfect she is, how wonderful she smells. The amount of love I feel for her is frightening. 

"You're alive," I breathe against her skin, holding her waist tightly to me. She pulls back for a moment, cups my face in her hands, and kisses me. It's desperate, full of the fear and anger we both feel. When we break apart, there are tears in her eyes.

"Please don't go, Draco. Stay with me, stay with us." She gestures to the residents of Hogwarts, who are looking at us in shock. I hear a laugh from the other side of the courtyard.

"How touching," Voldemort hisses. "So, Draco, you have a choice before you. If you decide the wrong way, I will kill your family, your dear girl here, and finally you. Then I will destroy the rest of your school and kill all of your friends." I look back down at the girl in front of me, still in my arms, her eyes desperately searching mine. 

"Please," she whispers. "Stay with me." I look from her to our friends, to the army, and back to her. 

"I can't let him kill you," I say quietly, releasing her. Tears drip down her cheeks.

"No, no, please. Draco, please." She's sobbing by the last word, her body shaking. I swallow hard, trying to control myself.

"I love you. More than anything. I have to do this, I have to protect you," I say softly, gently brushing her cheekbone with my thumb. 

"I love you too," she says through her tears. With that said, I turn and walk across the courtyard to my parents. My mother wraps me in a hug immediately. I hug her back, resting my head on her shoulder like I did when I was younger. Voldemort's voice breaks us apart.

"Now, Draco, my boy, I think you must prove yourself. Your indecision has made me doubt your loyalty. Draw your wand." I obey slowly, deliberately, pulling my wand from my robes. Voldemort smiles again, his teeth black.

"I believe Professor Moody taught you about the three Unforgivable Curses, yes? The third, the most powerful, is the Killing Curse. You're familiar, I trust." I nod, unable to speak. 

"Kill the girl," he says, his voice calm, decisive. I'm frozen, petrified by the command. My mother gasps. 

"My Lord, I-" I start to say.

"Kill her or everyone you love dies." He grabs my mother and has his wand under her chin in a millisecond. I slowly walk forward, approaching the girl I love. She steps forward as well, meeting me in the middle of the courtyard. Her eyes are defiant, strong, no trace of the fear I saw before. She grabs my hand and puts my wand at her neck.

"I can't," I whisper, my voice broken.

"Yes, you can. I understand, Draco, just do it. I love you. You're already forgiven." My hand shakes. There's a burning hot lump in my throat. She smiles at me and gently takes my free hand, rubbing her thumb in circles over it. That jolts something in my mind. When we practiced dueling in pairs, that was the sign to attack. I see her hand drift ever so slowly to her robes and clutch at her wand. She mouths the word "disarm" and looks pointedly behind me. I give a tiny nod and mouth a count.

1

2

3

I spin around quickly and yell "Expelliarmus," casting a burst of red light at the Dark Lord. The Elder Wand flies from his hand and skids to a stop near my feet. I duck down to grab it and hear my love send another spell over me. When I look back up, Harry Potter throws himself out of Hagrid's arms. I blink, shocked for a moment, but then I feel her hand grab mine and I'm brought back to reality.

"We've got to go," she shouts over the noise. I nod and apparate the both of us to the first place I can think of, a stretch of woods I used to explore, about a mile from my house. As soon as we arrive, I pull my love into my arms and kiss her like I'll never get to again. 

"What if he wins?" she asks quietly.

"He won't. We're safe now." She tucks her head into my neck and I lay my head on hers.

"I love you, Draco. You're stronger than you think you are." 

"I love you too. I'm strong because of you. Please don't leave me." My voice cracks a bit.

"I'm not leaving you. Ever. No matter what happens, I'm staying with you."

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and Comments are appreciated <3


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